Doctoral Minor

Doctoral Minor - 12 credits

Doctoral students are encouraged to develop an area of musical expertise outside the
doctoral major. A doctoral minor is therefore available in the areas listed below.
The chosen doctoral minor may not have been the student's major at the master's level nor may it be in another area
of the degree major (performance majors may not choose a doctoral minor in another
area of performance, and conducting majors may not choose another area of conducting).
A doctoral minor requires the completion of a minimum of 12 post-master's graduate
credits, of which at least nine must be completed at USC, and approval from the minor
area faculty and the graduate director. During the Comprehensive Examination students
who have been approved for a doctoral minor will also be tested in that area. The
following are general guidelines for a doctoral minor:

ConductingCompletion of at least 12 credits of conducting, including 4 credits of applied conducting
(MUSC 711) and 6 credits of related studies (e.g., area literature, methods, score
reading, performance practice); credit for one public conducting recital (MUSC 796)
may be included if scheduling permits

Jazz Studies Completion of at least 12 credits in the chosen area

Music History, Music Theory, Piano Pedagogy, or Music EducationCompletion of at least 12 credits in the chosen area (no teacher certification is
required for the Music Education minor)

Opera TheaterCompletion of at least 12 credits in opera-theater studies, including MUSC 545, 3
credits of approved studies in the Department of Theatre, 2 credits each in MUSC 734
and MUSC 780, and either 2 credits of MUSC 781 (for an emphasis in voice performance)
or THSP 759 (for an emphasis in stage direction); dual credit for MUSC 793-796 or
MUSC 891-896 when enrolled in MUSC 781 is not permitted

PerformanceCompletion of at least 12 credits in the chosen area, including 6 credits in applied
music (MUSC 711) and 4-9 credits in the area literature and pedagogy; credit for one
public solo recital (MUSC 796) may be included